FunKidsActivities

IPIC Theaters

3225 Amy Donovan Plaza, Austin, TX 78758, USA

Overview

Category:Kids Theaters
Location:Austin, TX

Expert Summary

Detailed Insights

IPIC Theaters aims to provide a premium dine-in cinema experience with comfortable seating and a full menu, extending to a lively bar area with games like pool and ping-pong. While some find the atmosphere cozy and specific food items delicious, the execution of this 'premium' experience is highly inconsistent, particularly regarding food quality, service, cleanliness, and maintaining a distraction-free movie environment. It attempts to cater to both date nights and families, but struggles with core operational aspects.

Key Highlights

  • Cozy and charming movie theater atmosphere (Review 1)
  • Specific food items like 'regular fries' and 'chicken skewers' are highly recommended and delicious (Review 1)
  • Offers a vibrant bar area with games such as pool and ping-pong, suitable for families with kids (Review 3)
  • Diverse crowd including families with kids and various age groups (Review 3)
  • Numerous bathrooms available, and ramps for accessibility are present (Review 3)
  • Booths available for large parties, along with diverse table options (Review 3)

Standout Features

  • Comfortable seating and overall cozy movie-watching environment (Review 1)
  • Separate bar area with entertainment options like pool and ping-pong (Review 3)
  • Accessible with ramps and ample bathroom facilities (Review 3)
  • Variety of seating arrangements including booths for larger groups (Review 3)

Perfect For

Young children (5-year-old mentioned) may visit, but emergency needs might not be accommodated (Review 2)
Families with kids playing pool and ping-pong suggest suitability for older children and teens (Review 3)
Accommodates families with a range of ages, including '1 adult, 1 child, and 2 teens' (Review 5)

Ideal For

Couples seeking a cozy and comfortable movie experience (Review 1)
Families with older children or teens who enjoy engaging in games like pool and ping-pong in a social environment (Review 3)
Groups looking for a venue with varied seating options including large booths (Review 3)

💡Pro Tips from Reviews

  • Consider ordering the 'regular fries' and 'chicken skewers,' and try ordering fries about 10 minutes after your initial food order (Review 1)
  • For food orders, it is strongly advised to 'ask about food freshness and check your food before consuming' or consider eating before arrival (Review 4)
  • Be aware that membership benefits, such as free popcorn, may not be automatically honored (Review 5)

Things to Consider

  • Management refused restroom access for a 5-year-old in an emergency, despite requests to purchase items (Review 2)
  • Declining cleanliness of theater seats (Review 4)
  • Inconsistent food quality: cold, stale, overly seasoned food (e.g., wings and chicken Caesar wrap) (Review 4)
  • Food orders delivered with significant delays (e.g., 30 minutes between husband's and reviewer's meal) (Review 4)
  • Mandatory 18% gratuity applied even when food quality and service were poor, with no offer of discount or resolution for complaints (Review 4, 5)
  • Patrons vaping and using bright phone flashlights during movies, causing distractions and unpleasant odors (Review 5)
  • Unclean men's bathroom with urine smell and overflowing trashcan (Review 5)
  • Sound system in Theater 3 experienced static sounds, suggesting a blown speaker (Review 5)
  • Failure to honor membership benefits, specifically a 'free membership popcorn' (Review 5)

Price & Value

This venue is perceived as expensive given the quality issues. Reviewers spent '$53 for 10 wings and chicken Caesar wrap' which was deemed poor value due to low quality (Review 4). A family of '1 adult, 1 child, and 2 teens' spent '$200' for a movie, popcorn, non-alcoholic drinks, and dessert, feeling it was not 'as premium as advertised' (Review 5). An '18% automatic gratuity' is added, which feels like a 'sneaky hidden fee' and is charged even for poor service (Review 4, 5). There is also a '$40 dollar membership fee' with benefits (like free popcorn) that may not be delivered (Review 5).

Accessibility & Special Needs

  • Ramps for accessibility are available (Review 3)
  • Numerous bathrooms are present (Review 3)
  • Various seating arrangements including chairs, tables, and booths are available (Review 3)

🍎Food & Drink Policy

  • Offers a 'full menu bar' and 'great kitchen' for in-theater dining (Review 3)
  • Specific items like 'regular fries' and 'chicken skewers' are highly praised (Review 1)
  • However, food quality is highly inconsistent; complaints include cold, stale, overly seasoned dishes, and significant delays in service (Review 4)
  • Popcorn, non-alcoholic drinks, and dessert are available as part of a meal package (Review 5)

🚗Parking Info

  • No accommodations mentioned

👥Crowd Levels

  • Review 4 mentions 'serving a large audience' which implies it can get busy, but no specific times or days are detailed.

🛡️Safety Features

  • No accommodations mentioned

When to Avoid

  • If you have young children who might require urgent restroom access, as this was reportedly declined (Review 2)
  • If you prioritize consistent cleanliness and fresh, high-quality food service, as there are significant reported issues (Review 4, 5)
  • If you are sensitive to vape smoke or easily distracted by phone use during a movie (Review 5)
  • If you expect to pay gratuity only for good service, as 18% is automatically added regardless of service quality (Review 4, 5)
  • Theater 3, if the static sound issue with the speaker persists (Review 5)

Pricing/Package/Events

What People Say

What's Great

  • Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
  • Spacious play areas (mentioned in 6 reviews)

Recent Reviews

Prof. Alex., Ph.D. Accent Coach

Prof. Alex., Ph.D. Accent Coach

a month ago

This is my favorite movie theater! It's incredibly cozy and charming. I love movies, and experiencing them in such comfort makes the whole outing even more enjoyable! You absolutely must try the regular fries and the chicken skewers—they're so delicious you'll want to bite your fingers! I usually order the fries a bit later, about 10 minutes after my first order. It’s the perfect spot for a romantic date night or just a laid-back evening to relax. You're going to love it! Enjoy, y'all!

Nehal Dixit

Nehal Dixit

2 weeks ago

My 5 year old wanted to use restroom - I requested nicely and even asked to buy something but it was really an emergency to go there but we were convinently declined. Shame on this theater never wasting any money here. There is a reason alamo draft house is a local chain that appreciates hospitality.

Joe Cruz

Joe Cruz

7 months ago

Fun times at this wonderful bar service by hit people lots of diversity here from ethnicity to age to single people on dates and families with kids playing pool and ping-pong good music playing lots of bathrooms, ramps for accessibility chairs and tables everywhere wonderful booths for large parties high top tables and low top tables full menu bar great kitchen. Wonderful bar showing sports, food network and my favorite movie; Joker.

Tywane Weeden

Tywane Weeden

a month ago

WARNING PLEASE READ!!!!! This is a movie theater that had been a joy for me and my husband, but lately they have been slacking on cleanliness of the theater seats and quality, freshness and concern for customers concerns considering food. Last visit the food was cold but didn't make a big deal because we know sometimes things can become hectic when serving a large audience so we just figured this is a one time isolated issue. Well second time we came my husband's food came out first and mines came out 30 minutes later and the food was not only cold but stale as if it had been sitting for a week in the fridge and then given to me. My husband ordered the wings which also have the texture of food that have been sitting in the stove and then refrigerated and then warmed up again. His wings were overly seasoned and was hard to consume. I made the complaint about our food which I only took two bites of and my husband being so hungry went on and ate his cold salty wings anyways. We were not offered a discount and was told that we had to give an 18% gratuity and all this for poor quality food and poor quality service. We ended up spending $53 for 10 wings and chicken Caesar wrap. I don't know what's happening at this particular movie theater but the food is very terrible and has left permanent scar on our pallets, and the cleanliness needs more attention. People spend their hard earn money in today's economy so that they can enjoy the experience from what little money they do put forward to what is expected from a high-end movie theater. My advice is ask about food freshness and check your food before consuming or just eat before you go.

A B.

A B.

4 weeks ago

Not as premium as advertised. Others were vaping and using their phones during the movie. Vape smoke kept smelling up the place and bright phone flash lights being used to see bills and such were a blinding distraction. The mens bathroom was not up to par, it smelled like urine and the trashcan was overflowing. The sound system in theater 3 must have a blown speaker it kept making static sounds that were unpleasant. 18% automatic gratuity was disclosed so it wasn't a surprise, but it still feels like a sneaky hidden fee at the end of the day. What if I didn't like the service I received? Not the worst theater, but not in the top 10 either. It cost $200 for 1 adult, 1 child, and 2 teens to see Mincraft with popcorn, non alcoholic drinks, and dessert. For the $40 dollar membership fee they could do better. P.S. I didn't get my free membership popcorn.

Contact Information

3225 Amy Donovan Plaza, Austin, TX 78758, USA

View on Google Maps

Opening Hours

Monday: 2:00 – 11:00 PM
Tuesday: 2:00 – 11:00 PM
Wednesday: 2:00 – 11:00 PM
Thursday: 2:00 – 11:00 PM
Friday: 2:00 – 11:00 PM
Saturday: 10:30 AM – 11:00 PM
Sunday: 10:30 AM – 11:00 PM

Quick Stats

Overall Rating
4.2
Total Reviews1572
Recent Reviews5